How strong are CIS?

[Eye of Ra]

What is the strength and the quality of CIS? Comparisons to other leagues?

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[WilcoxHound]

The CIS is the top amateur hockey league in Canada, better than about half NCAA Div I teams and almost all NCAA Div III teams. Top teams would do well in the SPHL pro league.

 

[JB51Hockey]

The CIS is the top amateur hockey league in Canada, better than about half NCAA Div I teams and almost all NCAA Div III teams. Top teams would do well in the SPHL pro league.

In exhibition games in 2007, the CIS is went 2-33-1 vs. the NCAA D1.

I'd say it's more even now but NCAA has the edge mainly because it's USA's best versus Canada's second best.

 

[FreddyFoyle]

Almost all CIS vs NCAA exhibition games are played in the States in NCAA teams' home rinks, using their rules (there are some differences) and their officials. A decided advantage.

I would say that the top third of CIS teams are on on par with the average NCAA Div I team. What skews the stats is that many lower-tier CIS teams get hammered while in the States, and some top CIS teams, like Alberta, seldom play NCAA teams.

But you are comparing apples and oranges. Top CIS teams are filled with players who have completed their Major Junior eligibility and are now cashing in their education packages - most are 20 or older when they start and 19-year-old rookies are extremely rare. So the average CIS age is a couple of years older than NCAA teams.